Page 90 of The Rookie's Second Chance

He shook his head after a few minutes of trying. "It's like they're bouncing off a dozen locations. Can't pinpoint it."

I cursed under my breath, turning back to my phone. "Okay, rest up then. Call me if you need anything."

I kept the conversation going, each message an attempt to catch 'Kayla' in a slip-up, but Mandy was cautious, giving nothing away.

Lexi came over, reading over my shoulder. "What are you doing?"

"Trying to get her to make a mistake. If she thinks I believe it's Kayla..."

Luke joined us, his brow furrowed. "Any luck?"

"Nothing yet. She's careful," I admitted, frustration mounting.

I continued to message, but with each passing minute, it became clear that Mandy wasn't going to reveal anything. With a heavy heart, I put the phone down, my mind racing for another way to find Kayla.

"We'll keep trying," Lexi promised, her voice uncertain despite her words. "We'll find her."

As I leaned back in my chair, my thoughts turned dark. If Mandy dared to hurt Kayla, there would be no holding back. The badge I wore, the oath I took to uphold the law, it would all become meaningless. I knew if the worst happened, I would cross lines and break every rule I had sworn to follow. I'd become something... very... very... different. The law would no longer bind me.

Chapter Forty-Two

MANDY

In the dim light of the cabin, my fingers trembled over the phone screen, Kayla's muffled sobs echoing in the background. "Shut up!" I snapped, unable to contain my frustration. She was ruining everything, making it impossible to think. I had to make a move, something bold, something that would force Jake's hand.

I switched to my number, abandoning the pretense of being Kayla. My heart raced as I typed a message to Jake. 'Miss you. When are you coming home?' It felt daring, a lure to bring him to me. But his response came too quickly, too alert. 'Huh? What do you mean? I'm at home now. Where are you?'

Panic surged through me. Shit, had I miscalculated? In a moment of hesitation, I didn't reply, my mind racing through possible scenarios. Then another message popped up, Jake's words cutting through me like a knife. 'Look, Mandy. Let's stop fucking around. I know you have Kayla. Where the hell are you?'

I felt the walls closing in on me. He knew. How much did he know? My fingers hovered over the keyboard. I had to be smart about this. I had to stay one step ahead.

I quickly typed back, trying to regain control of the situation. 'Jake, I just wanted to talk. Kayla's fine. She's here with me. We're just... sorting things out.' I hoped it sounded convincing, desperate as I was to keep him off balance.

Silence followed. The phone lay heavy in my hand, each passing second stretching into an eternity. I glanced at Kayla, tied and gagged, her eyes wide with fear and confusion. If Jake didn't play along, if he didn't come here alone like I needed him to, I had no choice. I had to end this one way or another.

Kayla's eyes met mine, a silent plea in their depths. She didn't understand. She couldn't. This was about love, about destiny. Jake and I were meant to be, and I'd do anything to make that happen. I couldn't let anyone, not even Kayla, stand in the way of what was meant to be.

My grip tightened on the phone, ready to make my next move.

When he finally messaged back, demanding to talk to Kayla, I felt a surge of panic and anger.

‘If she’s safe, let me talk to her.’

Rage boiled up inside me. How dare he not believe me?

"Listen up," I snarled at Kayla, gripping her face in my hand. "You're going to talk to Jake, and you're going to make it sound like everything is normal. If you give him any hint, any fucking clue where we are, I swear I'll kill you right here."

Kayla's eyes were wide with fear, but she nodded, understanding the gravity of the situation. I dialed Jake's number and held the phone to her ear, watching her every move.

"Jake?" Kayla's voice trembled slightly as she spoke.

"Kayla, where are you?" Jake's voice came through, tense and worried.

"I'm just... enjoying some time with Mandy," Kayla said, her voice barely above a whisper.

Kayla paused, then asked, "How's everything going with the Henderson case?"

Jake hesitated. "Good. I think we almost have it solved. Do you remember where they found the weapon?" Jake asked, his tone urgent but controlled.

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